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Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Jakeozzy
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"Yeah, i-is there a phone box around here I can use...?" Blaze asked awkwardly as she gazed around the floating islands of Toki Toki City. Trunks put a hand on her shoulder and leaned forward with a smile, "I can do better and send you back to say you'll be back for regular visits. If you want to help us, I mean. If not you can return to your life as normal."

Blaze mulled over what this meant. She had some kind of power, a power that no other person on her planet could use to her knowledge. This might be just what she was born to do; protect time itself. Her family would just have to believe she was doing something for the greater good. "I'm in. I'll make an excuse," she told Trunks, who then shook her hand with gratitude.

"First things first, I'll introduce you to the city, and our.. 'boss' - whatever you do, don't make any remarks about size or age..."
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by CronicCrystalis
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Izaroth was about to make a response, before the sound of his stomach growling caught him by surprise.

"...Oh geez. I got so caught up in reading my book and the events that followed, I forgot that I've not had lunch yet..." Izaroth said, looking around the immediate area.

"...I hope you don't mind if we grab a bite to eat first? I likely won't be able to concentrate on what's being said on an empty stomach, and I suspect Blaze here wouldn't mind some breakfast either." Izaroth said, turning to look back at Trunks.
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"I won't be able to go back to sleep now, so whatever," Blaze shrugged as Trunks waved for the two to follow him. She wondered why he was walking straight for the mirage-like gate for a moment, but it seemed like the only way off the island. Well, save for diving off the edge and seeing where you ended up. Hell would be anyone's first guess. After Trunks passed through the watery effect of the doorway, Blaze held her breath, pinched her nose and hopped through...

On the other side of the gate, Blaze was more amazed than nervous to be standing suddenly a residential area full of what she could only guess were aliens! So many, in all different shapes and sizes; some scarier than others.

"Toki Toki City has a sensible population. Practically everyone here is a part of the Time Patrol, be they in-field operators or support staff.  My mother helped a lot with setting this place up, in a debt to the Supreme Kai of Time. The big "C" logo you might see around means 'Capsule Corporation'." Trunks explained as he continued to lead the two down the main street, which had another gateway at the end of it. It was everything you'd expect to find in modern civilisation, but everything was so perfectly clean, and very futuristic! Restaurants, living quarters, recreational facilities - there must have been another island for training purposes. Blaze would never believe Trunks if he mentioned this stuff, even the buildings, could be instantaneously spawned from a small capsule!
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by CronicCrystalis
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"...Capsule Corporation? Unusual name, but I'm guessing that's for a reason?" Izaroth asked, looking around with a degree of curiosity as they walked.

"...Either way, everything here seems to be running like clockwork. No pun intended, considering the giant gears over there. Everything's just so pristine around here. More than I can say for most cities I've been to of late." Izaroth said, fixing his gaze on Trunks.

"...He said his mother helped set things up here. Is she the CEO of Capsule Corporation or is that his job now?" Izaroth thought to himself as he continued his observations.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Jakeozzy
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As if on cue, Trunks reached into his pocket, his hand emerging with a single blue and white capsule which he showed to Izaroth, "Technology like magic. Watch," he said before gently tossing the capsule in front of his feet. It made the tiniest fizz and explosion, and the smoke it kicked up soon cleared to reveal a container. Trunks crouched down and unclipped the hinges, flicked the lid open and chuckled. "This is typical Saiyan battle armour that we make. Something handy to carry around if fighting gets real out on patrol."

Blaze fell to her knees next to the box and started pulling the contents out, adamant that it had to be some kind of magic trick. It was just... there! After being packed into a tiny capsule! Realising this, she switched her interest to the flexible material of the suit itself. She tried to imagine Trunks wearing it, and...

'Oh my god!'

Blaze pinched her nose and stood up to keep walking. Trunks didn't seem to catch on, so that was a good thing! The three would soon end up outside a diner with no name, and a "suggestions welcome" sign for it on the window.

"I don't usually hang out around here. I've been pretty busy working with my own partner recently, but for now he's training with other Time Patrollers," Trunks explained. "Guess we'll find out if this place has good food ourselves!"
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Izaroth was also caught by surprise that a capsule small enough to fit in the palm of your hand could contain an object of that size.

"...How did I not know about this company until now?" Izaroth said, blinking a few times as the realization that such technology existed set in.

"...There must be so many applications for that kind of technology." Izaroth thought to himself as he followed after Trunks.

Now that Pandora's box had been opened, however, Izaroth had so many questions running through his head, but he figured he'd ask the most obvious one.

"That capsule technology of yours. Is there any real limit as to what can and cannot be put into a capsule?"
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by Jakeozzy
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"You do not ever capsule a capsule, ...as for larger projects, we really did just poof some of these smaller buildings out of nowhere with capsules!" Trunks explained with a giddy smile, proud of his family's work all around him. He entered the diner first, followed by a nervous Blaze. Some of these 'Time Patrollers' looked ugly and weird. Or just absolutely terrifying. One humanoid with icy blue skin and darker blue 'bubbles' for certain joints stopped and stared with a piercing gaze at the girl, and the white-haired man as he entered. This Frieza-race being grunted and walked out, mumbling something about FNGs.

"Trunks, sir?" Blaze asked, "What's an FNG?"

Trunks rolled his eyes, sitting down at a table for three and motioning the other two to take a seat. "Let's just say some veterans in the Time Patrol don't see new people as potential, but more uh.. how can I put this?"

"Doomed?!" Blaze asked with worry all over her expression.

"...I was going to say cannon fodder, but I think you summed it up okay. Just relax, you two are going to be looked after. We don't take risks unless they're worth it." Trunks tried to reassure the redhead, handing her menu to her to calm her down a little.

This menu in question had about fifty pages, each page being popular food to a certain planet. Of course, you wouldn't be finding Namekian cuisine listed here.
Hidden 9 yrs ago Post by CronicCrystalis
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"Kind of understandable, I wouldn't exactly be eager to put trust in someone who claimed to have the solution for all my problems if I'd literally only just met them five minutes ago." Izaroth said as he took a seat, before promptly looking through the menu.

"Quite the selection here..." Izaroth said to no-one in particular, before settling on a ham and cheese sandwich, since he figured Trunks didn't want to wait too long for them to finish eating. He probably wanted to finish showing the two of them around before the sun set.

"Capsules that contain whole buildings? Kinda hard to believe, but you could probably carry a whole ICU in one of those things, going by that logic..."
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As Trunks and Izaroth conversed over the unique capsule technology, Blaze was busy tapping items on the interactive menu, quietly talking herself through the options. So many weird-sounding foods... She still couldn't quite believe all this was happening. From being in bed asleep, to suddenly finding herself half-naked on a floating island in the sky, ...somewhere! It would be easy to put it down to being a dream, but so far everything seemed pretty real here. Most of the aliens seemed to smile at or at least not show discontent toward the two Time Patrollers to be. But that one with the icy gaze, earlier...? It's like he was offended by their very existence.

In no time at all the dishes arrived at the table. Izaroth's sandwich, and Blaze's.. uh.. so many plates that it took up half of the table!? Trunks raised a brow, letting his jaw drop a little. She couldn't even fit all that in her body, right? Right?! -- After thanking the six-armed alien waiter with a gleeful smile and a polite bow of her head, Blaze started to practically destroy meal after meal without even commenting on how some of the alien dishes tasted! How her school uniform stayed clean throughout this was anybodies guess!

"Okay, it's not the first time I've seen this, but she is tiny compared to the adult Saiyan warriors I've watched plough through food like that! Doesn't even have a lot of muscle!" Trunks gawked, reluctantly panning his gaze back to Izaroth and his sandwich.

"Usual breakfast amount, just alien food instead!" Blaze exclaimed cheerfully with half a mouthful of something purple, quickly returning to eating. Was she even breathing?!

--------------------

"So, what do you think of the new ones?" A black-haired male with red eyes, a light tan and star-like facial scar on his cheek asked, staring through the diner window from across the street. He wore a Gi much like Son Goku's in colour, but plain and with fingerless gloves & black combat boots. His deeply scrutinising gaze went with his tone of voice - deep, quiet. For now. When he didn't receive a reply, he turned those crimson eyes on the same Frieza Raceman that had just left the same building. "Glacia?"

"Their power levels certainly don't impress," he finally replied. "The girl looks far too civilised. Untouched. Soft. I wonder if she's ever tasted pain or trained hard in her life. The young man? Perhaps he looks like a warrior, but I would still count him as a greenhorn until he's been tested properly. Trunks was too soft on them. Relenting on the girl? I would have taken a limb for such a stupid reaction to a sword being swung at me. And we both know that he can do far better in a melee fight, with or without that sword - he should have beaten the white-haired one down to let him know there is a very sizeable power gap," Glacia explained, apparently having seen the 'test fight' and all. "In short I believe the wish is going to be a complete waste unless they're really tested. They're going to die as they stand now. Satisfied, Zero?"

"I think you should lighten up as regards the test. Trunks knows they're weak now, but he wished for a team. They're not strong enough yet, and they're not in sync yet. When they are, your tone'll change," the spiky-haired Saiyan said with a smirk. For such an intimidating look and voice, he didn't seem all that serious. "Don't tell me - you're going to intervene?" he chuckled.

"I must," Glacia responded before nonchalantly turning his back on Zero and leaving. The Saiyan shrugged off the man's coldness and stared back into the window across the street.

"Guess he's right. I think I want to fight them whether it's for training or not, myself... But not just yet. I'll watch you both grow first," Zero smiled, put his arms behind his head and strolled off toward the time shuttles, a mission into the past awaiting.
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"...Hm." Was Izaroth's response as he took a bite out of his sandwich, looking at Blaze as she demolished her choices of food... And questioning whether or not she'd have a bad stomach ache for it later.

"Saiyans are known for their immense appetite and lack of table manners at the dinner table. Could she be a Saiyan too?" Izaroth thought to himself as he returned to his sandwich, opting to eat with a lot less haste than Blaze.

"I guess I'm not exactly a good Saiyan role model in that regard, though I'm used to eating less anyway. Gotta eat conservatively when you're travelling the cosmos, otherwise you'll be out of food supplies within a week. Plus it's probably for the better if I keep the knowledge I'm a Saiyan hush-hush for now."

Turning to look back at Trunks once he'd finished his sandwich, he simply shrugged at him.

"Just out of curiosity, what races compose the ranks of the Time Patrol?"
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"We have humans from all over the universe, Saiyans that survived the genocide or were brought through time to join us, Namekian clans sent us strong warriors, we have quite a few Majin, and even some warriors from the Frost Planet. They're the strongest, but there are some other races that joined us... Not exactly well known," Trunks explained to Izaroth, pointing around at those he knew as he recalled what they were. When he referred to Majin, the pink-coloured female he referred to gave a curious stare at the white-haired man. Her head tilted inhumanly, until it had twisted all the way around and was upside down. As if she completely forgot what she was doing, the alien returned to slurping a milkshake. And then she ate the glass. With sharp, predatory teeth. ...What the fuck.

Blaze licked her fingers and stretched as the final bowl was emptied, "Done now," she mentioned.
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"So now that we've got a general idea of what the time patrol is... Where to next?" Izaroth said with a hint of curiosity on his voice, disregarding the Majin that just ATE an entire glass. Trunks had effectively opened Pandora's Box in piquing his interest, and he was keen to continue on with the tour.

"What the hell am I doing...? I should really be signalling the Escutcheon to come pick me up and hightail it the f**k out of here, not going along with this."

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"Next I have the Time Nest to show you, and someone important to introduce you to. Our boss, and Tokitoki." Trunks said, getting back to his feet and heading for the door, and figuring the two would catch up, he headed for another island through another watery-textured portal.

Blaze would follow Izaroth when he was ready, not wanting to go anywhere alone. He was the closest thing to an adult right now, a guardian if anything. No, he was more than that, he was her partner, so it was right that she stuck with him. But if someone questioned it, she'd most definitely be able to handle everything by herself as a grown woman of... fifteen. This was simply not the case in reality!

"So uh.. 'partner'! What are your thoughts so far? I think maybe the dragon made a mistake... But if he didn't, then.. I don't know.. what we.." Blaze exclaimed, getting quieter and less cheery until she almost whispered the last part. Confidence wasn't her strong suit, apparently.

--------------------

The Majin got up to leave at the same time, her neck stretching ridiculously as she followed the two closely with her head. When the next to enter instinctively shut the door, the neck would suddenly retract to its normal size in no time with a slapping sound, the strange alien rubbing a red mark on her throat and moaning childishly as she left too. For no reason other than because they looked different to the Time Patrollers she knew, the Majin would follow them, eerily, but peacefully, unfazed by anything that happened as she walked.
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"I'm still on the fence at the moment. I want to know more of the facts before I make a decision as to whether or not I stick around, become a time patroller, or call my ship and f**k off." Izaroth said calmly, despite the fact he just dropped an F-bomb.

"If I had to guess on the Dragon's choice to bring us specifically here out of all the possible combinations, I'd wager it was based on how likely the two warriors were to click with one another from their first meeting, how likely they are to co-operate, and how they can foster growth in their overall strength, skill and experience in one another." Izaroth said to Blaze as the two walked.

"Basically a duo that'll look out for each other, work together during a battle, and help each other grow stronger." Izaroth said, giving a laymans terms summary just in case his long winded explanation went over Blaze's head.

"Gotta admit though, this whole thing has provoked my curiosity. Part of me is interested in how this plays out now. The other part of me just wants to say "Screw you guys, I'm out!", and leave before I get the full picture."
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"Whatever you decide, I'm with ya'! Can't really see myself fighting some weird time-space war-thing without a hand to hold," Blaze said, blushing and laughing a little before correcting herself, "You get what I mean by that, like a pal, not.. the other thing. 'Cuz that would be strange. Like, how many 'guy meets girl' manga with crazy powers in 'em do you have to read to see where this should go?" she shrugged, rambling on about cliché couplings for the moment.

After they passed through yet another gate, the two would suddenly find themselves walking a pathway of stone slabs, in a dome rather than an open-skied island. It was a beautiful, very Earth-styled garden. There was a little cottage off on the right of the pathway, and what looked like some kind of fortified shrine or temple straight ahead. That was where Trunks was already ascending the stairs, a large bird was flying around him.

"Not that it would work anyway, you're way older than me, and I'm into shorter guys, maybe a bit thinner even if you do look all muscle to me. But I guess that's one reason the dragon chose us! I shoot 'em, you slap 'em! You know, that sounds kinda cliché too! Why can't the smaller one kick ass, and the bigger one shoot laser beams from their hands for once? I-I mean in stories, not here, of course I can't suddenly hit fifty times harder than I can now~... And that sucks. I feel like less of a skilled martial artist now."

Blaze finally took a deep sigh, and realised the change in scenery.

"...Wonder who his boss is. God?"
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Izaroth was listening to Blaze's rambling as he walked, all the while taking in the sudden change of scenery. He would've kept looking around too, had Blaze not made a jab about his age.

"...You know. Just because I'm silver-haired doesn't instantly make me old. I'm 24 for crying out loud. And besides. I'm not exactly a firm believer in "Love at first sight" either. That's just too cheesy for my tastes." Izaroth said, looking at Blaze with slight annoyance on his face for a second before it vanished, folding his arms at thought.

"Most likely a god of time or overseer of time, in my opinion. Whatever the case, we'll find out shortly." Izaroth said as he climbed up the stairs.

"Though I think Trunks mentioned something about not mocking said Boss' height? Keep that in mind."
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The two began to ascend the steps. Ki could be felt inside; the energy of time itself, perhaps. Blaze was going to reply to Izaroth, but the place was awe-inspiring, and so, attention drawing - how could a building so small contain such a marvellous flow of energy? It did feel a little strange, though... Once inside, Blaze descended the steps into the central chamber when her partner was ready. The purple-tinted scroll on the table.. that was the off-feeling in the midst of every other sense.

It was only Trunks and the bird in here. The former turned to face them, while the latter flew straight up to each of the summoned warriors to inspect them in its own way.

"Our boss isn't here... Odd. But overseeing time's correct flow can't be an easy job, even with the Patrol helping," Trunks said, giving Izaroth and Blaze a curious gaze as he reached to pick up the scroll with the purple aura. Without an explanation, he opened it faced at them so they could see what they were here for.

----------

The scroll would be a 'replay', a tainted history in which a black-haired human and a Namekian fight with what they called a Saiyan. The Saiyan in question mopped the two up fairly quickly - there was a perfect shot for the Namekian to take, sacrificial, but it looked as though it couldn't fail. With a crimson light in his eyes and a sudden flare of a purple aura, like that of the scroll, the Saiyan broke free effortlessly, leaving the human to be shot by the Namekian's blast attack. With that, the Saiyan effortlessly sent a lethal ki blast at the alien, presumably killing him.

When it was over, Trunks waved for the bird to come to the scroll. It seemed to 'purify' it with beats of its wings.

"This timeline has already been corrected, we made sure to save the 'feed' from the corrupted timeline for further study. We have no idea what's been causing it, but villainous fighters from every era of Earth's history have been given a significant power boost, effectively changing the outcome of major battles that ended in victory originally." Trunks explained as he showed the purified 'feed' to the two. It goes exactly as it looked as if it should have. With a red-haired Time Patroller's intervention, the powered up Saiyan is beaten down enough for the Namekian's attack to work. Even though his apparent comrade is dead, the fight is won. Before the Namekian can ask whom the mysterious warrior is, he's already returned to the Time Nest...

"Further work will be needed to completely repair the timelines, but first we have to find out whatever is causing the enemies of the past to become stronger. That way we'll be able to stop it before it ever happens!" Trunks finished, closing the scroll and giving it to the bird, who would fly off and stack it neatly on a shelf. "The Patroller you saw is my own partner, by the way. He's a Saiyan like me, but he's got quite a ways to go yet... He's new-ish, like you. It was actually a gamble letting him fight with Raditz, but it turned out okay."

----------

Blaze was holding Izaroth's arm the whole time the scroll had been displaying the corrupt and pure timelines, it was like watching a thrilling movie to her, until she realised that people had actually died in battle... Then her grip only got tighter! It had just hit home now that this may well be a death sentence, not a job. As reassuring as it was to have the big guy here as a partner, ...could she keep up with him? The last thing she wanted was to be dead weight.

"...I don't know what to say... We actually watched history change... We're supposed to change history... Isn't a god supposed to do this kind of thing?" Blaze asked, quite stunned.

"Think of us as a god's personal army, in that case..." Trunks offered a reassuring smirk to the girl. Though, it didn't seem to help.
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As Izaroth watched the scroll intently, he held his other arm out, allowing the bird a temporary perch, up until it flew off. The grip on his arm didn't go unnoticed, either. He looked at Blaze, and could tell the girl, just by her expression and actions, was afraid. Izaroth himself had been in a few skirmishes before with his life on the line, but this girl has yet to be in a life-or-death situation. If she was to be his partner, he'd have to be her shield up until she gets confident enough to handle herself in these situations... Or she ended up dead. Izaroth hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"...So chances are we could well bite the dust doing this." Izaroth said, before gripping his chin with his free hand, taking some time out to think. Sure, he could just f**k off and leave the Time Patrol to sort out their own problems, and drop the girl off at her home planet if she didn't want to stay either, and they go their own ways, but what if the Time Patrol come across a threat to history they couldn't handle themselves? If these distortions in history piled up, it wouldn't matter where he went. All hell would break loose.

"...Mayhap, this was what I was meant to do with my life. I've got power, I have freedom, but I lack a purpose. A long term goal. I've been wandering the cosmos for some time, searching for a purpose I can call my own. Up until now I've just been surviving from one day to the next." Izaroth said, looking at Trunks with determination in his eyes. Izaroth had quickly figured out the stakes, and wasn't going to sit idly by when there's something he can do about it.

"...Alright. I'll do it. If time itself is at stake, it won't matter where we run to. Those who have no reason to be involved in this fight are at risk just as much as those who do."
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"I guess... I'm game. There's always room to improve, so I can be like you two!" Blaze chimed in, trying to feel something other than scared out of her mind. She could fight, but.. like the people in the scroll? Hell no could she keep up with that! The ki blasts launched from the Saiyan's hands were ridiculous, too - she'd get vaporised trying to match that. "Besides... Izaroth is right. If I sit back and let time fall apart, it doesn't matter where Earth is, the whole universe could feel the effects, and Terra might..." she didn't add the words that should follow, and instead made a determined look at Trunks, who nodded in return.

"I want you to train together, for whatever might come our way. There's ways to accelerate it, but... not yet. It would only be a waste at the level you both stand at." Trunks replied. "There's an empty island we use. That, or we can send you to an uninhabited place in the universe, but breathable. Whichever you both prefer."
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"Hm. I think we ought to stick with the island for now. Least that way if anything bad happens, such as an enemy attack or one of us gets a little carried away and badly injures the other, we're not that far away from everyone else." Izaroth said, placing one hand on his chin in thought prior to speaking.

"I mentally weighed up the pros and cons of both locations, and figured, at least until we can hold our own, we should be within close proximity to the Time Patrol in case something goes wrong." Izaroth said, looking at Blaze as he spoke. He realised that Blaze would need some help in boosting her confidence and pain tolerance among other things, but if he tried to do something that she didn't agree with, she'd obviously get afraid and hesitant, so he'd have to take it slowly. If he tried to put her through hell now, she wouldn't last the day.

"There's a few things that we can learn from one another too. I can teach her to be less dependent on her blasts, and she can teach me how to better manage my Ki."
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